November 2021 – Repertoire Magazine
On June 5, 1981, the first five cases of what later became known as HIV/AIDS were officially reported. For years, HIV/AIDS has been politicized, feared, and once thought of as a death sentence. Today, we know more about the virus, and we know that individuals who are on treatment can live long, healthy lives.1
Great advancements to ending the HIV epidemic have been made in the last 40 years. We have more knowledge about the virus now than we did in the early 1980s, testing has progressed, and not only do we have treatment to help HIV-positive people stay healthy, but there is also treatment to help an HIV-negative person stay negative.
Despite all of this, there’s still work to do.
MSM, Black/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, transgender women who have sex with men, and people who inject drugs are the populations most affected by HIV.2 Approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S. have HIV and 13% of them don’t know it. They need testing.3
To cross the finish line, the federal government in 2019 created Ending the HIV Epidemic, a plan to end HIV by 2030. To achieve this goal, four key strategies were developed: Diagnose, Treat, Prevent, and Respond. The plan is dependent on diagnosis and when people get tested they can make informed health decisions. The CDC recommends everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 be tested at least once for HIV in their lifetime. For those at higher risk, CDC recommends getting tested at least once a year.4
At OraSure, we are proud to say we are doing our part to end the epidemic by 2030. We currently offer two rapid HIV tests that use oral fluid, OraQuick ADVANCE®HIV-1/2 Rapid Antibody Test and OraQuick® In-Home HIV Test.
The OraQuick ADVANCE® HIV-1/2 Rapid Antibody Test is an FDA-approved professional point-of-care HIV test that detects antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2. It is also approved for use with oral fluid, plasma, fingerstick and venipuncture whole blood. The professional test can be used for batch testing and help reduce in-direct costs.
The OraQuick®In-Home HIV Test is the first and only FDA-approved over-the-counter HIV test that detects antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2. The In-Home test can be sent to patients, which is quarantine/self-isolation friendly, helping facilitate telehealth healthcare. It can also be purchased at retail pharmacies across the country.
One of the advantages of using the OraQuick platform is the ability of the tests to be used with oral fluid. Testing with oral fluid means enables more people to get screened. This ultimately means that more HIV positive patients are connected to care and fewer people are exposed. Using this preferred method of testing helps reach people who would otherwise not get tested, because of fear of blood or fear of going to a doctor’s office.
It is empowering – whether you are a manufacturer like OraSure Technologies or a distributor – to support someone’s health journey and link them to the care that they need, whether preventative measures or treatment. Our tests provide patients with life- changing results and help them take charge of their health.
It has been 40 years since the first official HIV/AIDS cases were reported. During that time, we have made progress, but there is more work to do. It is our job to do what we can to help end the epidemic. It is time to end HIV.
For more information about OraSure products and how you can help end the epidemics, please reach out to us at endtheepidemics@orasure.com.
Rapid Point-of-Care HIV Tests
OraSure offers two rapid HIV tests that use oral fluid:
The OraQuick ADVANCE® HIV-1/2 Rapid Antibody Test:
- Is an FDA-approved professional point-of-care HIV test that detects antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2.
- It’s also approved for use with oral fluid, plasma, fingerstick and venipuncture whole blood.
- The professional test is a simple three-step process with less than one minute hands on time, making it suitable for batch testing.
The OraQuick®In-Home HIV Test:
- Is the first and only FDA-approved over-the-counter HIV test that detects antibodies to HIV-1 and HIV-2.
- The In-Home test can be sent to patients, which is quarantine/self-isolation friendly, helping facilitate telehealth healthcare.
- It can also be purchased at retail pharmacies across the country.